New Technology Sends Business Cards into the 21st Century

The new technology, Toroblue.com, is a software program that automatically sends the company’s business card to a customer’s mobile phone as they enter the premises. The customer has the choice to either accept or decline the card. When accepted, the ecard is stored directly in the phone’s address book, ensuring that contact details are accurate, available and accessible. The ecard contains all the information found on a paper business card, including the company logo. Cards are sent and received free of charge using Bluetooth and importantly, never sent to the same phone more than once. Toroblue.com reports the number of ecards offered, accepted and declined.

ToroBlue.com founder, Gregor Isbister, said “Every other aspect of business has been brought into the paperless digital age. Now toroblue.com does the same for business cards. It’s the perfect way to ensure your contact details are stored accurately in your customer’s phones address book letting them contact you at the push of a button – and refer you to a friend or colleague just as easily. In effect, it’s a simple cost-effective tool that makes it easier for your customers to do business with you”.

Lexus Edinburgh dealership initially piloted Toroblue.com back in August 2004. Since then, on average, 70% of ecards are accepted by customers and 36% make a follow up call using the unique number on the ecard. Ian Reynolds, Dealer Principal at Lexus Edinburgh said “This is an excellent way of enhancing the customer experience at our dealership. It is the perfect way to greet our customers and shows our commitment to innovation. It works 24/7 so even captures window shoppers who visit the showroom after hours.”

The technology was also piloted by Lexus at the Sydney International Motorshow in October 2005 where 15,000 ecards were sent to Motorshow visitors. Vin Naidoo, Product Manager Lexus Australia said “This technology enables us to provide consumers with key Lexus contact details, as well as information about Lexus, delivered directly to their phones. The 88% acceptance we achieved shows it is well received by customers”.

Toroblue.com is now being launched across a range of businesses such as hairdressing and beauty salons, car dealerships, dental surgeries, IFAs, estate agents, recruitment agents and home delivery restaurants. Gregor Isbister states that toroblue.com has clear benefits for both the business owner and customer “Any business can easily order a customised system online and use it to send their contact details directly to customers’ mobile phones. For customers, it is a really easy way for them to store contact details and takes out the need to manually transfer information to their phone”.

Further information please contact Gregor Isbister on 0207 223 0608 or
gisbister@breeze-tech.co.uk

Notes to Editor

Toroblue.com
Toroblue.com allows businesses to order an eBusiness card distribution system that is delivered to their business the next day. To order the product you simply type in the details you wish to have on your ecard, upload your company logo and complete your delivery details. ToroBlue.com takes your business card information and creates customised software which is stored on a CD. The CD and Bluetooth transmitter (2cm x 3cm x 4cm) are then dispatched for next day delivery. The user simply installs the CD and plugs the transmitter into the computer’s USB port – the system is then up and running and requires no further user action. If the user wishes to change the content of the ecard this can be easily done in just a few steps explained in the user manual.
http://www.toroblue.com
ToroBlue.com is a subsidiary of Bluetooth Marketing company Breeze Tech Ltd (www.breeze-tech.co.uk)

Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short range wireless technology which lets devices communicate with each other free of charge. It is mainly found in computers and mobile phones. Bluetooth devices can communicate over distances up to 100 meters. See www.Bluetooth.com for more information.

Business Cards
The earliest forms of business cards were known as tradecards and date back to China in the 15th century and the 17th century in London. These were used as advertisements and also as maps, directing the public to a merchant's store as there was no formal street numbering system at the time. The popularity of tradecards soared. Up to the 19th century, tradecards were done in monotones, or with simple tints. As businesses grew, so did the production and distribution of tradecards. Around 1830, lithography using several colours became an established method in Europe. Now the exchange of business cards has become common throughout the world in all cultures.
In the late 1990s an attempt was made to use CDs in the form of a business card. However this was not user friendly as the business card had to be inserted into a computer’s CD drive to view the information. Also the new plastic CD card was much thicker than the traditional paper card so it was difficult to fit in your wallet and rather uncomfortable in the back pocket! Considering the tons of paper used each year on degradable paper cards, environmentalists are happy that this wasn’t all converted to a non-decaying plastic! Nowadays, with new wireless technology from toroblue.com, businesses can send electronic business cards direct to the electronic address book of a customer’s mobile phone or PDA. The electronic card, is, of course environmentally friendly - paperless –no card – no plastic.